The body of the seven-year-old girl was found lying in a field here on Saturday with injury marks on her neck. She had gone missing on Friday while playing outside her home in Mogiyabhiya village, Station House Officer of Kamkheda police station Dharmaram said.

The accused, Komal Lodha, a resident of the same village, was arrested today in connection with the crime, Jhalawar Superintendent of Police Anand Sharma said.

The accused raped the girl while she was going to attend nature's call on Saturday evening. When she began crying, he strangulated her and abandoned her body in the field, the SP said.

The accused was well familiar with the minor and her family, the SP said, adding he has admitted having committed the crime.

The accused is a married man. In recent past, he had attempted teasing a villagegirl following which he was severely beaten by the family members of the girl but they did not lodge any case in the matter, the SP said.

A case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was lodged in this connection, the SHO said.

The accused would be produced before the court tomorrow, he further added.

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